Big Weekend Warmup Ahead! And Then ... Yuck

This weekend will be so warm, you may want to spend Saturday in the park. You may even think it’s the Fourth of July. ;-) Well, not quite. But it’s a nice thought and a catchy tune. (Thanks, Chicago.)

Today could be snowy and Friday’s forecast calls for high winds, but Saturday and Sunday temperatures will reach the high 40s, maybe even 50s, and Saturday will be sunny.

TODAY

• A chance of rain and snow showers between 11 am and 5 pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 5 pm. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to near 38 by noon, then falling to around 33 during the remainder of the day. West northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

FRIDAY

• Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

SATURDAY

• Partly sunny, with a high near 49. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

SUNDAY

• A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Sunday Night: A chance of rain before midnight, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Illinois is on the northern boundary of a surge of mild-air from the south enveloping much of the eastern United States to start February, with temperatures to range from the 50s into the high 70s.

We can’t get carried away by sunny Saturday, however.

As Groundhog Day approaches, a winter reminder sweeps back into the Chicago area. February begins with a slight chance of snow and rain in the morning followed by an increasing chance of freezing rain. As the week progresses, the chance of snow increases.

YOUR FIRST THREE DAYS OF FEBRUARY

• Monday: A slight chance of rain and snow before noon, then a slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Monday Night: Rain and snow likely before midnight, then rain or freezing rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 34.

• Tuesday: Rain likely, possibly mixed with freezing rain. Cloudy, with a high near 43. Tuesday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.

• Wednesday: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 31. Breezy.

» IMPORTANT REMINDER: Prevent Dryer Fires This Winter! Clean Your Lint Trap

Meanwhile, a severe storm will track across the central United States into the upper Midwest, with a glancing blow to land on the cheek of northern Illinois to begin February, according to forecasts. The storm is expected to cause major travel disruptions from Denver to Minneapolis, with lake-effect snow developing off Lake Michigan later in the week.

The path of that storm could shift, however, and we could see more snow locally if it drops a little south.

According to AccuWeather:

A strengthening winter storm will bring the potential for windswept snow and travel disruptions from the central Rockies to the Upper Midwest early next week, including on Groundhog Day.

While the exact timing and extent of wintry weather are not set in stone at this point, early signs are pointing to the threat for moderate to heavy snow, poor visibility and travel disruptions along a 1,000-mile-long swath.

The track and strength of storm that rolls ashore in California on Sunday will determine the coverage and intensity of the snow and wind from Colorado to Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

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